12:00 I Love You
by wordweaver
Summary: Mix-ups over a dayplanner. PW/OW


Title: 12:00 I Love You  
  
Author: wordweaver  
  
Rating: PG for some snogging.very mild.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or the world in which this story takes place.  
  
Spoilers: None, I don't think, but if you haven't read the first four books then why are you reading the fanfiction?  
  
Warnings: slash, snogging  
  
Summary: Mix-ups over a day-planner. PW/OW  
  
Note: I'm reloading this because the first time I did, all my ellipses were turned into periods, which made for some strange grammar. Thank you Val Mora for pointing it out. I think I fixed the problem now.  
  
12:00 I Love You  
  
"Percy Weasley and Penelope Clearwater...now who would have thought?"  
  
"Quiet Oliver, I need to sleep." Percy rolled over in bed and tried to ignore his roommate, who, propped up casually on one elbow, was now laughing gleefully.  
  
"Making out in an abandoned classroom no less!"  
  
"I said, quiet!"  
  
"My goodness, the Head Boy and a prefect. How scandalous!"  
  
"I said enough, Oliver." Percy's voice had that strained tone it took whenever he was trying to keep hold of his temper.  
  
"What's next? The Astronomy Tower?"  
  
"Silence!"  
  
"I can just see you two, settled down, having a couple of kids, you working at the Ministry, you're parents coming to visit their little grandchildren...."  
  
"Shut up Oliver!" Percy sat straight up in bed and glared across the room.  
  
Oliver's eyes widened. "I don't think you've ever said shut up before in all the seven years I've known you!"  
  
Despite himself, Percy turned red and looked away. "Well I try not to make a habit of it. But you were being so...so...uncooperative."  
  
Oliver burst into laughter and fell back on his bed. "Uncooperative? Uncooperative! Oh Percy, that's priceless. Only you would think of that as a terrible insult!"  
  
"I couldn't think of a more suitable adjective under the circumstances," Percy told him primly. Then he sighed and lay backwards on the bed. "Besides, you of all people should know that I have no interest in Penelope Clearwater."  
  
Oliver sat up again, wiping a tear from his eye. "That's not what Ginny tells me!"  
  
"Yes I know what Ginny told you. I also know what the twins are telling anyone who will listen, which, by the way, is a hell of a lot of people considering I'm Head Boy. How am I ever going to come out now?"  
  
"Well, Perce, you did kind of bring this upon yourself. I mean, what were you doing kissing her in an empty classroom anyway?" Oliver put his chin against the palm of his hand and looked expectantly at his roommate.  
  
"It was a harmless little peck on the cheek!" he protested.  
  
Oliver raised an eyebrow. "Really, now? You sure you're not a closet heterosexual?"  
  
Percy glared at his friend. "No, I certainly am not. Penny took me into the classroom to ask me out! She said that we got on so well, and I was really her type, so how could she not fall for me, and wouldn't it be just perfect. I said, that, yes, it would be perfect, but that it could never be. And I felt I owed it to her to tell her the truth. She looked so upset that I kissed her on the cheek."  
  
"How is she taking the rumors?"  
  
"She's having a ball! Penny's never had too many guys interested in her. Now that everyone is telling scandalous tales about her she's getting more attention than she's ever had in her life. She tells the truth to anyone who asks her directly, of course. Well, the truth without mentioning my preferences."  
  
"Well, at least she's not mad at you." Oliver lay back again. Silence stretched out between them as he tried to figure out how to ask his next question without sounding too curious. "So...Percy...since Penelope isn't exactly your type...is there anyone who you are interested in?  
  
There was silence from across the room.  
  
"Well?"  
  
"Well, what do you think, Oliver? It's not as though I really know anyone at this cursed school except for you and Penny. And I only know you because we've been roommates since bloody forever. Even if there was someone, my chances with them would be utterly destroyed by the fact that I'm renowned throughout the school as an annoying git with a stick up his arse!"  
  
Oliver blinked. "I do believe you cursed again, Percival Weasley. I'm shocked!" He sighed silently and tried not to feel disappointed. What had he expected Percy to say? //"Actually Oliver, I was just going to tell you, I'm madly in love with you!"//  
  
Percy grumbled softly. "Well it's the truth, Ol. You know that. And I'm lucky I still have you. Any other bloke would have been looking for a new roommate in a second."  
  
"I'm not like that, Percy," Oliver whispered, his voice serious. Then he smiled a bit. "I know you're not going to jump me in the middle of the night or anything. It's not as though you were in love with *me*."  
  
Percy laughed loudly. "That would be just dreadful wouldn't it! Then I really would have only Penny. Now, I think, we really ought to go to sleep, don't you? I mean, we have a Potions quiz tomorrow afternoon, and you have Quidditch Practice tomorrow morning. Nox." With that his wand went out and the conversation was over. Oliver sighed and whispered, "Nox," watching the reflection of the light fade from Percy's face.  
  
* * *  
  
Oliver had discovered early on that Percy was really two different people in one. Most people have different facets of their personalities; different ways they act around different people and situations. But Percy had two main faces: Head Boy and Percy. For the world of Hogwarts, he was Head Boy; stiff, firm and always on the right side of the rules. Basically an annoying git with a stick up his arse. Around Penelope and Oliver, he was Percy; the boy with a biting sense of humor and a paralyzing fear of failure. When Oliver heard his name being called from the direction of the room they shared, he knew in an instant that he was about to deal with the Head Boy.  
  
"Oliver, may I have a word with you?"  
  
Fred and George, who were clearly plotting something in the corner of the common room, shot their friend a sympathetic look. They recognized that tone of voice in their brother.  
  
"Yeah Perce, just a sec." Oliver took his time walking the corridor to their room, mentally ticking off the possible Percy-related offenses he might have committed.  
  
He walked into the room and stopped short. Percy was sitting at his desk staring at an open day planner, tapping his quill on the desk.  
  
"Oliver, would you be free just after Potions, before lunch, or do you have Quidditch practice then?"  
  
Oliver looked confused. "Uh...I was planning on a quick run-through of our strategy, but it shouldn't take long. If you need me to do something...."  
  
"Excellent, then you will be in our room at 12:00 promptly? Now we both must be off to Defense Against the Dark Arts." Percy shut the notebook and stood up.  
  
"Yeah, sure, but what is this...?" Oliver realized he wasn't going to get a response and watched Percy walk straight out the door.  
  
"Wait Perce, you forgot your..." Oliver dashed over to the desk and grabbed the day-planer that was still sitting on the desk, but the Head Boy was gone. Percy carried the cursed thing around with him like a diary. Oliver half suspected it was one at times.  
  
Oliver gave a half-hearted sigh and glanced down at the book in his hands. A piece of ribbon attached to the book's binding marked a page about halfway through. Wondering if perhaps Percy had written the cause of his apparent anger in the day-planner, Oliver flipped the book open. There, in neat cursive, Percy had written out his schedule for the day.  
  
7:00 Wake up and shower 7:30 Breakfast 8:00 Discuss F&G's birthday plans 8:15 Remind Ron that Mum wants a owl from him ASAP  
  
Oliver chuckled. Leave it to Percy to keep such an exact schedule. Oliver skimmed down the page until he caught sight of his name.  
  
10:45 Potions 12:00 Yell at Oliver  
  
Oliver did a double take. Yell at Oliver? What could Percy possibly have to yell at him for? He'd certainly seemed fine with him the night before. Or maybe it had been something he'd said the night before? Oliver ran over the conversation in his head. Was Percy upset about Oliver asking him who he liked? Maybe he knew what Oliver had been hoping he'd answer.  
  
"That's ridiculous," Oliver said aloud. "He has no proof that it was anything other than common curiosity, and if he has issues with that, maybe he'd prefer if we never talked at all!"  
  
It was so pretentious, and just like Percy. To schedule an argument. You didn't schedule arguments, they just happened. They were spontaneous, a result of emotions building up. Leave it to Percy to think there was a right or wrong time to yell at someone! As though Oliver were only some insignificant first year to be admonished. If Percy had a problem with something he'd said, well the boy would just have to bring it up at the time, point it out. How could Oliver know there was a problem, unless Percy told him? There was no use leaving it, then it just festered. And then Percy felt he had to yell about it.  
  
Annoyed Oliver snapped the day planner shut. Well if Percy wanted to yell at him, Oliver could very well yell back. And if Percy thought that by scheduling this sort of thing into his day made him somehow superior to Oliver, well he had another think coming, now didn't he.  
  
* * *  
  
Percy drew a shaky breath after he left Potions and started across the courtyard back to the Gryffindor tower. Oliver hadn't said a word to him all day. Part of Percy was glad; it meant he had a chance to figure out what he was going to tell his friend. Their conversation the night before had made Percy realize that things couldn't continue the way they were going. Percy never lied, at least not when it mattered; he believed that no one could make a real decision without all of the facts. As long as Oliver didn't know about Percy's feelings for him, Percy could never be sure that Oliver was really his friend. He had decided the night before that he had to tell Oliver that he was in love with him, and if Oliver was disturbed by that, which Percy was sure he would be, then they could request a room change. Percy just had to remember to be professional about the whole thing. As long as he could keep himself under control, hopefully Oliver would be able to do the same and they could part calmly with no unpleasant scenes.  
  
"Percival Weasley!"  
  
Percy stopped short and turned. Was that Oliver?  
  
"Where the hell do you think you're going?"  
  
"I was headed back to our room. I have something I need to discuss with you."  
  
Oliver was nearly at Percy now, striding across the courtyard as fast as he could without running.  
  
"I'm aware of that. You left *this* in our room!" Oliver tossed a small black book at Percy, who caught it almost too late. It was his day-planner. Suddenly Percy couldn't quite breathe.  
  
"So...so you read it?"  
  
"Not on purpose I assure you. But I certainly saw your plans for today! This is extremely unfair, do realize that Percy? If you have to unburden your feelings on me, you should at least have the decency to let me in on the plan!"  
  
"I.I thought we should have some time to.discuss the situations. I didn't think you'd be so upset." Percy clenched his fists. He had to maintain control. He'd known this reaction was a possibility from the start.  
  
"Discuss? As though this were really something we could discuss! You should have told me about this sooner. You should have come straight to me the moment you had the slightest inkling that...."  
  
"Oliver.please. I just wanted to...." Dammit, he was begging. He had promised himself he wouldn't beg!  
  
"This is not the sort of problem that will go away simply by standing here yelling! And if you have anymore problems you need work out, I suggest you go to Penelope! I, personally, am sick of this sort of thing from you." With that, Oliver turned on his heels and stalked off.  
  
Percy just stood there for a long moment, trying to find his bearings. He swallowed hard at the lump in his throat, but it refused to go away. Fighting not to cry, he turned and headed on his way towards his room.  
  
* * *  
  
They didn't speak at all after they'd returned to their rooms that night. Oliver sat at his desk drawing an outline for the Quidditch match scheduled next Saturday, while Percy copied his Potions notes for a test. The only noise in the whole room was the hollow scratching of quill on parchment. The light from their wands on either side of the room only seemed to accent the separation.  
  
Finally, Percy placed down his quill and stood up.  
  
"There's no point in this, Wood. I will request a room reassignment in the morning. I would hope that you could bear my company long enough to join me."  
  
The scratching of Oliver's quill stopped. There was a click as he placed it down on the wood table.  
  
"We're having a bit of a spat, Percy," he muttered, emphasizing the first name. "I see no reason to overreact."  
  
"Ol...Wood I...this is not going to change given time. I have felt this way for a long while now. I had hoped that perhaps it would fade if I ignored it, but you must understand that I have given this a great deal of thought. If you don't feel comfortable with who I am, then it is best that we spend as little time as possible together. I hope we can retain a civil relationship, but I believe that as roommates we...."  
  
"Woah, slow down there, Percy." Oliver leapt to his feet almost knocking over his chair. "I may have some issues with how you go about telling me things, but I don't have a problem with *you*! I realize I came on a little strongly this afternoon, but I honestly didn't mean to upset you *that* much."  
  
"So you think that since my feelings don't follow the norm that I would feel them less?" Percy fought to keep the slightly hysterical note out of his voice.  
  
Oliver paused. "What the devil are you going on about, not the norm?"  
  
"What are *you* talking about," Percy challenged, still unwilling to say the words aloud.  
  
"*This*!" Oliver reached out and grabbed the day-planner that was resting on Percy's desk. He opened it to the day marked by the bit of ribbon, and pointed deliberately to 12:00.  
  
Percy took the book out of Oliver's hands and stared at it. Then he started to chuckle.just barely. He backed up slowly, still staring that the page. His chuckles came faster and faster, until he was laughing hysterically.  
  
"Are you...sure this was the page you were looking at Oliver," Percy managed to get between gasps for air.  
  
Looking confused, Oliver took the book back. "Yeah, this was it. '12:00, yell at Oliver'. As though I were one of your little first years. I mean honestly, Percy, you'd think by now that...."  
  
"Oliver, look at the date on that page."  
  
"What January third? Wait, January third!!!?" Oliver sat down on his own bed across from Percy.  
  
"Yes Oliver, that was three months ago! The day you stole my notebook for Dark Arts. I marked it because I had to write down the notes in that book and I didn't want to loose my place."  
  
"Wait, so that's what you wanted to yell at me about." Oliver looked across the room incredulously. He remembered that day. Percy had started out stern, but by the end he'd dropped the Head Boy mask, and they had ended laughing so hard Oliver had fallen out of his chair.  
  
"Then...I guess I owe you an apology, Percy. I'm really sorry I overreacted so badly."  
  
"It's okay, really." Percy tried to avoid his friends gaze.  
  
"But then what did you think I saw?" Oliver asked.  
  
Sighing, Percy pointed to the notebook.  
  
Oliver opened it again, this time flipping to April ninth.  
  
10:45 Potions 12:00 Tell Oliver that I love him  
  
Words found Percy again. "I know that this probably means the same result. I will request the room change tomorrow. I planned on this. Last night made me realize that these feelings would not go away no matter how much I ignored them. I think that it would be best if we ceased to be friends altogether..."  
  
"Percy."  
  
"...for if we remain this close, things could easily become unpleasant and..."  
  
"Percy."  
  
"...I don't see any need for such a situation..."  
  
"Percy!"  
  
"...I'm sure McGonagal will be understanding of the circumstances..."  
  
Just then Percy was silenced by a very sudden, very firm kiss by Oliver, who, fed up with trying to reach his friend through words, had moved across the room to make his point more thoroughly.  
  
After a few seconds they broke apart, breathing hard.  
  
"...and if you want...to move...seats in class I suppose...."  
  
Oliver lifted a finger to Percy's lips to silence him. "I really don't think that will be necessary," he whispered with a smile tugging the ends of his mouth.  
  
End  
  
Author's Notes: And there you have it folks! This whole shebang was inspired by and ex-boyfriend who, when I told him he needed to get his anger out, decided he needed to schedule a time to yell at me. Credit goes to chips_caro for mentioning that it seemed very Percy-like, and giving me the idea for the day-planner. Both she and tylan_sama were excellent betas as well, thank you both. 


End file.
